50 Cents In the name of Elizabeth II, 6th Portrait - Elizabeth Regina

Australia's 50-cent coin has carried a dodecagonal shape since 1969, when the original round silver alloy piece proved too easily confused with the smaller 20-cent coin in circulation. The switch resolved the handling problem but required retooling across vending infrastructure nationally. The 6th portrait of Elizabeth II, sculpted by Dominic Donohue, was introduced in 2019 and saw limited circulation time under her image before her death in September 2022 — making 2023 one of the final strikes bearing her effigy before the transition to Charles III.